The Institute

On Monday, 21st February, the full meeting of the Oxford City Council passed the city budget for 1983/4 which included an allocation of £60,000 for the renovation of the Institute in Canal Street as a community centre - put out the flags!

This is the culmination of a great deal of time and energy on the part of many people and I would like to thank all those who have worked so hard to see this day come. Of course, in one sense, the work is just beginning because now we have to see that the building work is done satisfactorily and then the newly-elected committee of the Community Association has to oversee the use that is made of the building and somehow to balance the books!

Yes, it's all just beginning, but at least we know that we are now going to have a community centre. Patience will be needed on the part of those who regularly use the building while the work is being carried out and all the groups who want to use it in the future should make representations to the committee about their requirements so that we can try to suit everybody's needs. We have an exciting future ahead and I hope our community life in Jericho will benefit greatly from having a real centre at last.